


Riley's Fire

by Mystic_Oak



Category: Sense8 (TV)
Genre: One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 19:19:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4973095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Oak/pseuds/Mystic_Oak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riley is on a frigid mountain, alone now that Will has knocked himself out.  Only she can save them from Whispers, but can she let go of her daughter?</p><p>**This is just a one-shot I wrote while imagining what Riley had to go through to be able to get up and drive the ambulance away**</p>
            </blockquote>





	Riley's Fire

Half-mad with pain and fear, Riley screams.  She can feel her throat becoming raw as the scream comes to an end, leaving her crying on the desolate mountain.  There isn’t enough oxygen for her, though not because of altitude.

‘I’m sorry,’ she sobs again, aiming her words to the sky. ‘I’m sorry.  I’m sorry sorry sorry sorry!’

 Riley can still feel the weight of Luna in her arms, and she cradles the child, wracked with grief. ‘I’m sorry.  I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.  I’m sorry I’m not good enough!’

And then the baby is gone, replaced by emptiness.  Above her, Riley sees the ambulance.

 _‘Please,’_  he’d said.

After the years of being alone after the loss of her first love, Riley had been terrified of Will.  Not because he was cruel, but because he loved her.

‘And I love you,’ Riley gasps, tears streaking down her face in despair. ‘I love you, Will, and I’m sorry I can’t save you, either.  I can’t save anyone. . . .’

The faces of Magnus and Will and the tiny face of Luna swim before her eyes.  They don’t look angry.  In fact, the slim portion of Riley which is holding onto her sanity thinks they look concerned.  Even her child is looking at her with loving worry.

They’re joined by a few others; Capheus, Sun, Wolfgang.  But they’re not really there, and Riley can’t tell what’s real anymore.

She knows Whispers is coming, and that he’s probably going to kill her.  He’s going to kill her and Will and all the others.

‘ _Please.’_

Riley’s fingernails dig into her arms as she hugs herself.  She wants to help.  She wants to be of use.  ‘But I can’t!’ she cries. ‘I can’t, I failed everyone once, and I’m doing it again.’

‘Help me.’ The words are spilling out of her mouth incoherently, and even she doesn’t understand them.  Who could possibly help her?  She lost contact with everyone as soon as Will came into the mountains.  The godforsaken mountains which had taken her husband and her daughter, her tiny innocent daughter.

‘Please, oh god, somebody help me!’

Wracked by more sobs, Riley lies down, her face to the sky. ‘You can take me now,’ she slurs. ‘Take me with you, Magnus.  I don’t mind.’

Nothing but the wind answers her, and Riley curses quietly. ‘Come on, mountain,’ she whispers. ‘Come on.  You wanted me then, why not now?’

‘ _Please.’_

Something stirs inside her, and Riley squints.  It’s a desperation she’s never felt before, a fierce hope—almost a demand—that she get up.

It’s not hers.  Riley knows that.  She’s ready to give up, to die.  It’s too hard to take care even of herself; how can she even begin to think of saving anyone else?

And yet.  That fiery desperation begins to warm her a little, and Riley finds herself sitting up, gazing at the ambulance. “Thank you,” she whispers to it, still crying but managing a smile. ‘Thank you.’

Because she knows where this new fire came from.  It was Will’s, and now it is hers.  Riley couldn’t save anyone by herself, but with Will by her side, perhaps . . .

Casting a sorrowful look at the ground before her, Riley reaches out a hand to where her daughter was, before any of this happened.  ‘I’m sorry . . .’ she says again. ‘I’m sorry I have to leave you. . . . But I’m not, I swear I’ll come back, I promise I won’t leave you!’ She’s shouting now, and crying again, but Will’s hope is giving her strength. ‘Go with your father.  Magnus, take care of her.  Take care of our daughter, please.’  Her words are travelling upwards; she can see it.  And Magnus will take care of Luna.  ‘I  _can_  save someone.’

Panting, Riley stands and stumbles to the ambulance.  It’s still running, and she collapses next to it, staying upright only by clinging to the handle of the driver’s side door.  Gathering the reserves of her strength, Riley pulls open the door and climbs into the driver’s seat.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
